Forman School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory school for boarding and day students with identified learning differences. Forman develops the whole student, based on his or her unique learning profile, so that every graduate becomes an educated, confident, self-advocate throughout life.
President of the Board
Eric R. Ebbert P’16
Vice President Barbara Chace ’87
Vice President David A. Shaggy ’85
Treasurer John Finnerty, Ph.D., P’11
Secretary Michael C. Gluck ’06 At-Large Gregory M. Loss P’22
Anne Q. Buckley P’13, P’20 Michael L. Cook P’15
Elizabeth Garber Daniels ’93 L. Laird Davis
Annette R. Jenner-Matthews, Ph.D. ’87 Preethi Krishna P’16
David Langan P’22, P’25
Adam K. Man P’15, Head of School David H. White ’71
Timothy B. Wills ’85, P’21 Michael B. Yormark ’09
Cecelia J. Johnson P’91
Diane F. Kessenich P’86, Chairman Emerita Kenneth R. Latham ’48 Frederick M. Lione Jr. P’91
John A. Meyers P’84
Peter L. Phillips ’65 Chairman Emeritus Scott M. Sutherland ’69, P’93
As a 10th-grader, I traveled with a group of students and two faculty members to spend a weekend hiking and camping in the Maine woods, much like our seniors started the year with their Truth, Respect, and Kindness Expedition (TReK). I remember scrambling up a large hill in the dark with many of my closest friends around me, headlamps on, as we struggled with our footing, hoping not to tumble into the prickly bushes beside us on the trail. We reached the summit and looked out over a small bay on the Maine coast as the sun began to rise. After
“I believe high school years bridge an individual from their childhood to adulthood, providing moments of growth along the way.”
complaining as we made our way up the hill so early in the morning, the sunrise exceeded my expectations. It was one of those special moments from high school that stuck with me. The whole trip was fantastic, but that one early morning stands out as one of the most memorable points. It was not so much the actual rising of the sun but the opportunity for reflection. I thought about what I valued, what was important to me, and the power I had in shaping those things. I believe it was at that moment that I grew up a little.
I imagine you probably have similar memories from your own high school years — times of wonder, times of growth, times when you made decisions that sent you down a path you had never planned. If you lived your adolescence the way I hope the students at Forman live theirs, your high school memories are filled with these types of moments. I believe high school years bridge an individual from their childhood to adulthood, providing moments of growth along the way. High school is a wonderful journey and one that should not have a singular goal. At Forman, we want students not only to be prepared for college and a future career but also to build a foundation for whatever challenges and opportunities life might throw at them.
The start of each new school year brings change from new students to new faculty. In this time of change, there are some things that stay remarkably similar, starting with our commitment to meet each student where they are in building their foundations for success and achieving their goals. I recently asked a group of students about their long-term goals. They talked of going to a good college, getting a fulfilling job, becoming financially independent, raising a family, and hopefully looking back, in
retirement, on their accomplishments. We tend to see our own lives as one long singular story moving towards a specific set goal or outcome. Though to be prepared for all of life’s events, we need to think not about a set of distinct skills to be developed but a set of foundational experiences and dispositions to be cultivated. Our goal in life’s journey is not to reach a specific target at the end, but to enjoy the unexpected twists and turns along the way, relishing each as its own worthwhile experience.
At Forman, we strive to provide students with a foundation to be self-aware, self-confident, and strong selfadvocates. Students gain skills to learn successfully, how to apply knowledge inventively, and how to navigate their futures with confidence. They build a toolkit that will last them a lifetime.
When I think about life after Forman for our graduates, I am constantly impressed by the accomplishments of our alumni. Our alumni community, which spans more than 40 countries, works in countless career sectors, from architecture and design to marketing and academia. It is clear that they have built off the foundation that was started at Forman and continue to harness their strengths along the way. It is my hope that each of our students experiences a moment similar to mine during one sunrise as a teenager — one of growth, one that they still reflect on as an adult, and one where they recognized how much they are capable of accomplishing.
Adam K. Man P’15 Head of School
“At Forman, we want students not only to be prepared for college and a future career but also to build a foundation for whatever challenges and opportunities life might throw at them.”
Students enter Forman with the goal of learning how they learn and building a toolkit to succeed with a learning difference. As they prepare to graduate from Forman, each student has their own interests, dreams, and criteria for their future. What remains consistent is the support students receive as they prepare to decide what their next step looks like. That support ensures every student earns the opportunity to attend a four-year college or university and feel confident in their ability to succeed.
The College Counseling Office is one of the most important lifelines a student has as they determine their future after Forman. Recognizing each student is unique, the office takes an individualized approach to help students determine what their goals are and their right fit post-Forman.
An integral part of the process is building a trusting relationship with both the student and their families, allowing students to be open and honest.
“We want them to understand and be aware of their options after Forman,” says Meredith Davis, Director of College Counseling. “We do this through helping them be honest with themselves and gain insight into who they are not only as learners but also as humans.”
The office often collaborates closely with parents, keeping them informed along the way. For many parents, it is reassuring to know that their student is being supported in the college application process.
“We provide [the students] tools to be independent in the process, while behind the scenes, we’re the safety nets,” Davis says.
From day one at Forman, students are empowered with new skills, tools, and resources to learn effectively. Students learn independence, self-advocacy, and academic strategies to apply at Forman, in college, and in their careers.
An important step in a student’s preparation for education after Forman is the post-secondary planning course, which is split between the second semester of junior year and the first semester of senior year.
“I think that class makes us different than a lot of the other schools,” says Davis. “That [class] is the support, the bread and butter of our office.”
The junior year course helps students make informed and knowledgeable decisions regarding their future educational and career choices, so they are better able to identify and articulate their personal needs and desires for their life after Forman.
“They take assessments, career inventories, and personality inventories,” Davis adds. “We go through all of that with them and use that to guide our process in what the next steps might be.”
By the end of a student’s junior year, they complete a draft of their college essay with the support of the College Counseling Office and other faculty members; start the Common App, a single online college application form used by over 1,000 colleges and universities; and request teachers to write their college recommendations.
The senior year course provides students with support and guidance in all aspects of the college application process. Students individualize their curriculum based on their specific application needs. Incorporated into the unique course is the implementation of time management, selfadvocacy, and organizational strategies that can be used at the post-secondary level.
“Especially with our students’ schedules, it’s hard for them to fit [in time dedicated to the college application process,] so it is nice to have this time where there is an adult who understands the college counseling process there who helps them through [it],” Jennifer Garton, Assistant Director of College Counseling, says.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of every opportunity they can to explore areas of interest, such as enrolling in a pre-college program over the summer or participating in a Winterim, a signature program at Forman that immerses students in intensive hands-on learning experiences for two weeks, that aligns with a potential career.
Similarly, the College Counseling Office prompts students to explore different types of schools. During the post-secondary planning course, students build a list of colleges to apply to, and each student’s list will look different. While some students will
apply to eight schools, others will apply to three.
“It is not about how many schools you apply to, it is about what your list actually looks like and how balanced it is,” Davis says, emphasizing that lists typically consist of midrange, likely, and reach schools.
Since Davis joined Forman’s College Counseling Office in 2009, she has helped expand and diversify the list of schools graduates apply to and ultimately attend. Students now attend colleges across the country, from big universities to small liberal arts schools.
“We really boast that you want options,” Davis says. “Even if a student is sure that they want to be a school teacher and want to be in Connecticut, there is no harm in expanding a little bit and seeing what is out there.”
The personality and career inventories that students take in the post-secondary planning course can influence their direction to a certain degree, however, selecting a major can be difficult for some.
“For a student who doesn’t know what they want to major in, the answer is you don’t have to know,” says Davis.
Colleges offer support to students who are undecided about their major, such as an academic advisor. Students often have the ability to explore their interests further while staying on a four-year path to graduation.
Moreover, some students may choose to go a different route entirely and explore alternatives to four-year colleges, including the military, post-graduate years, associate degrees, trade schools, and gap years. However, each student is encouraged to go through the college application process. If a student takes a gap year and plans to enroll in college the following year, having their college application nearly complete ensures an easier process.
“We want college to be an option for all students, if they choose that direction,” says Davis.
Students at Forman already have the experience of living away from home, preparing them early for living at college. In a survey from The Association of Boarding Schools, 78% of boarding school graduates say that they were very well prepared for the non-academic aspects of college life, such as independence, social life, and time management, compared to 36% of private day and 23% of public school students1
“One of the hardest things about the college transition is being away from your family, living in a dorm, having a roommate, not knowing how to navigate conflict, and our kids prematurely go through that,” Garton says. “Once they go to college, they can focus on their academics.”
Part of focusing on academic success in college for a student with a learning difference involves setting up available accommodations and support services. While colleges offer accommodations such as extended testing time, the availability of services such as executive function coaching and tutoring vary.
“We coach students and parents through what questions to ask, what accommodations and support services to look for, red flags to be aware of, what colleges are required to offer, and how to register for what is available to them,” Davis says. “In addition, School Psychologist Dr. Kelli Miller helps students understand their academic and personal needs at the college level.”
Davis adds that students seeking success must implement the skills they learned at Forman and persevere when challenging situations arise.
“First year of college is hard, no matter who you are,” she says. “If you immerse yourself in all that Forman offers, you will learn the skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond.”
The classes of 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018 earned a yearly average of nearly 350 acceptances to colleges and universities. Among the chosen institutions the Class of 2022 attended were Connecticut College, Dickinson College, Elon University, George Washington University, Lafayette College, Marist College, Ringling College of Art and Design, Syracuse University, University of Colorado Boulder, and the University of Vermont.
1 Art & Science Group. (2004). The Truth about Boarding School The Association of Boarding Schools.
“If you immerse yourself in all that Forman offers, you will learn the skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond.”
—MEREDITH DAVIS, DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING
Zack Zampaglione is an alumnus of independent schools — and credits his academic career for his professional one. Zampaglione, a native of Torrington, CT, attended Rumsey Hall School for seventh, eighth, and ninth grades as a day student and Kent School for the remainder of high school as a boarding student.
“That’s really the reason I wanted to work at a boarding school,” says Zampaglione. “I think even as I was going to boarding school, I knew I wanted to do something in the boarding school arena. I just didn’t know exactly what that would be.”
Zampaglione studied economics and political science at the University of Connecticut and planned to teach after graduation. He landed a job at Forman School in the spring of 2010 as a private tutor and started teaching mathematics the following fall.
Throughout his 12 years as a teacher at Forman, Zampaglione taught various levels of mathematics classes, from prealgebra to honors pre-calculus. Seeking
a change, he transitioned to the Dean of Student Life and Experience position in the fall of 2021.
“I love it,” he says. “I miss having classes and getting to really know the students in my classes and see them every day, but I interact with a lot more kids now. It’s nice to know all the kids.”
Zampaglione now oversees the students’ experiences outside the realms of academics and athletics, including the advisory program, clubs, assemblies, TReK (Truth, Respect, and Kindness Expeditions/Experiences), and weekend activities. At Forman, there are activities for students of all interests, each week offering something new and exciting. Student favorites span from trips to Target and Walmart to seasonal activities like broomball tournaments and games on the Green.
“We always encourage both students and faculty to recommend or suggest activities. If it is something that the students are requesting, we know it’s going to be popular and go well,” Zampaglione adds. “If we have a faculty member who knows they’re going to be on duty in a couple of weeks and they have something that they’re really excited about offering, then the kids get excited. We try as much as we can to run the activities that people ask us to.”
He says his own experience as a boarding school student influences his perspective as he knows the impact of student life.
“It’s really the difference between a boarding school and a day school or public school,” he says. “All of those things that are happening in the evenings and on weekends and all that extra stuff is unique to a boarding school. That’s
the biggest thing that I loved and remember, the little interactions you had, having fun on campus, going to town together, all those things that would never really happen if you weren’t at a boarding school.”
Zampaglione says the student life activities at Kent helped him build lasting connections with many of his classmates.
“There’s a group of 15 of us from Kent who see each other a few times a year, text every day. They became like family,” he adds. “We would spend summers and breaks at each others’ houses. After we graduated, we would be with each other all the time, and that never really stopped.”
Zampaglione also stays connected with several Forman alumni, including football players he coached over the years. Today, he is the Head Golf Coach and recognizes how students learn and build new skills outside of the classroom.
“The students are more comfortable, and it’s a great way to break down those barriers and connect with them on a different level,” he says.
After more than a decade as a dorm parent, Zampaglione and his family now live in a faculty home across the street from campus. While his wife, Lindsay, had never been to a boarding school before they met, she is now immersed in the Forman community.
“It was definitely a bit of a culture shock when she started visiting me,” he says with a laugh. “After we got engaged, she moved in and went from never really being at a
boarding school to sharing a washer and dryer with the girls in the dorm that I lived in.”
He and Lindsay now have two daughters, Willow (5) and Scarlett (3), and a dog, Molly, who enjoy playing on campus and interacting with students and faculty alike.
“They love it so much. Willow used to see the kids around campus and say, ‘he lives in our dorm!’” he says. “They don’t know anything different. They’ve grown up here.”
Zampaglione says he is proud to work at Forman and contribute to making a difference in students’ lives.
“I just think at graduation every year the fact that so many of the kids who are graduating and how that may not have been the case if they didn’t come here and the fact they are going to college,” he says. “It’s very rewarding to know that that is something I’ve played a part in.”
4 5 1 Students cool off on a water slide during the last week of the 2021-2022 school year. 2 Students and faculty members on a hike during the ninth-grade TReK. 3 Molly Brooks ’23, Abby Brooks ’23, and Mariée Voss ’24 at the last Green and Gold competition of the 2021-2022 school year. 4 Chelsea Altamirano ’25, Isabella Altamirano ’26, Gabby Ames ’26, Jessica Sit ’26, and Jimmy Lee ’26 enjoy a beautiful day on the Green. 5 Jack Patalino ’23 embraces Doug Baker ’22 during a tennis match. 6 Brielle Anderson ’23, Alia Berger ’23, and Griffin Pelletier ’25 (back) on the first day of classes. 7 The cast of Forman’s 2022 spring musical, Mamma Mia! 8 Students walk to the first Assembly of the 2022-2023 school year. 9 Alex Brunt ’25 and Jordan Shalhov ’24 smile as they move into their dorm room. 10 Keely Rogers ’26, Olivia De Sanctis ’26, Hannah Rebarchick-Blackwell ’26, and Ryan Fox ’24 pose for a photo.
Denee Hinman, Director of Dining Services at Forman, recently received the Director of the Year for Diversity and Inclusion Award from CulinArt Group. Forman partners with CulinArt Group to operate the School’s dining program.
Hilary Ham, a CulinArt Group District Manager, has worked with Hinman for the past two years and nominated her for the award.
The 2021-2022 yearbook was dedicated to Scott McCarty ’76, P’02, P’05, Major Gifts Officer and former Athletic Director. McCarty says the dedication was very special to him and unexpected.
“It [was] surprising because there are so many people deserving of this dedication,” he says.
He adds that despite transitioning to his new role at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year, he tried to remain close to the students, especially the Class of 2022.
“I certainly have been in situations where I’ve made them better and they’ve made me better,” he says. “They changed my life.”
“Macky has been an inspiration to me for a long time,” says Mikey Ferris ’22. “He was a dedicated soccer coach. We both liked to go at it with each other … but in the end, we had mutual respect for each other because of the simple fact that we both love Forman and the varsity soccer team.”
“Don’t let anyone hold you back because of your learning difference,” McCarty advises. “Work hard. Do jobs that you don’t want to do because you do them to get to the next level. Be kind, have fun, take away the things that we taught you at Forman that you can bring to your passion. But the big one, don’t let anyone tell you that because you have a learning difference you can’t be successful because you can.”
“It is very important to [Denee] to understand and respect the unique needs, perspectives, and potential of all of her team members,” says Ham. “Every associate, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or what disability they have, feel supported in all areas. She has created a group of people with a diverse set of talents by maintaining a trusting workplace environment where each person can shine. She has an amazing team.”
Hinman says she was honored to receive the recognition. “I honor women and different ethnic backgrounds, and I pride myself on educating my team members about the individuals that have disabilities,” she says. “It is in getting to know my staff that I am able to focus on the strengths they bring to the table.”
“It is a true honor to be recognized as Director of the Year, and I hope to someday teach others,” she continues. “I want to be known for leading with kindness, compassion, and through example.”
Director of Dining Services Denee HinmanTwo Forman School students attended Eye to Eye’s Young Leaders Organizing Institute, which was hosted at the University of Denver in August. Jeanine Blakeman ’23 and Maddie Smok ’23 are Forman’s Eye to Eye Chapter Leaders and were selected to attend the all-expensepaid conference. Eye to Eye is a national nonprofit that brings together middle school students who learn differently with local high school and college students who also learn differently in a supervised, school-based setting.
Jeanine and Maddie joined more than 200 high school and college youth leaders from across the country at the conference. They attended workshops, events, trainings, and seminars where they learned new leadership skills designed to help them and their mentees better advocate for themselves as individuals with learning differences.
“I enjoyed hearing from all the speakers because they all had learning differences, and they talked to us about how they struggled with their learning difference and how they overcome the stereotypes and everything that comes with having a learning difference in today’s society,” Jeanine says.
“There were a bunch of activities and a bunch of conferences that were held with speakers who shared their
stories of how they became involved with Eye to Eye and how they found it, their struggles in middle school and high school, and how they overcame them,” Maddie adds. “It was really nice to hear their stories and how I can relate to them and all the other chapter leaders too.”
Forman School’s Eye to Eye chapter partners with Torrington Middle School. Each week, Forman mentors meet with their mentees and work together through a fun and engaging curriculum of art projects designed to improve critical social-emotional skills such as confidence, self-esteem, growth mindset, and self-advocacy.
Jane Benson, Cognition and Learning Teacher and Eye to Eye Chapter Advisor, launched the mentoring program at Forman last year.
“Our students have the opportunity to develop through their work. By giving the gift of listening and collaborating with a young kid, you, in turn, become better at understanding yourself, your strengths, and areas of difficulty,” says Benson. “You’re talking about rising above your learning difference so often, and it just gets in your blood. It helps you in so many ways, which service does all the time. You get what you give, and that is definitely true in this program.”
In June, Jeanine also joined a group of young leaders from Eye to Eye and the National Center for Learning Disabilities Young Adult Leadership Council in Washington, D.C., for Learning Disability Day of Action. She and the other young leaders met with their local senators and representatives, as well as Dr. Miguel Cardona, the U.S. Secretary of Education, and Emily Voorde, the White House Disability Liaison; shared their personal stories of having a learning difference; and pushed for support on legislation, including the Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act and the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) Part B.
Students from Forman School’s boatbuilding program demonstrated their skills at the 30th Annual WoodenBoat Show in Mystic, CT, on June 24th-26th. The show at the Mystic Seaport Museum, hosted in a partnership with WoodenBoat Publications, displayed more than 100 traditional and classic wooden boats, including Forman’s newest cocktail racer. During the show, students Jonathan Bush ’25, Matthew Fisher ’24, Josh Lovallo ’23, John McPhee ’22, and Griffin Pelletier ’25 worked on their latest project: a solar-powered motor boat.
“The solar motor boat is called The Julie Forman,” Wendy Welshans P’24, Science Teacher and head of Forman’s boatbuilding program, says. “It was designed here by students interested in engineering, building the perfect family motor boat.”
The parts to plank the boat were cut and put in the steam bath ahead of time and steam-bent right at the show. “It was really awesome,” Welshans says.
The students spent the entire weekend at the show, camping nearby overnight. Welshans says despite long days and hot temperatures, the students were enthusiastic about the opportunity to share their work.
“When we’re boat building, they communicate within themselves and create a hierarchy for who is doing what and who does what well because everyone has an affinity,” she adds. “Take that out of the boat shop and put them in the middle of a festival with thousands of people coming by, and you don’t know how well they are going to teach it. I knew they were going to do really well, and they did.”
Once a portion of the planking was laid, the students invited visitors to put a nail in and sign their names, creating a time capsule.
“The planking will be covered with canvas,” Welshans says. “In 50 years, when someone needs to replace the canvas, all those names from the 30th Annual WoodenBoat Show will pop up.”
Many visitors and fellow boat builders at the show commended the students for a job well done.
“It was incredible … [the students] worked so well together,” Welshans says. “You don’t realize how skilled they are until you see them out doing their craft.”
Forman School re-launched its Athletic Leadership Council this fall after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The mission of the Athletic Leadership Council is to promote and encourage spirit and leadership in the school community through athletics. The council promotes a positive student-athlete image on and off campus by creating positive involvement in athletics through participation and support of our teams, developing leadership skills, and giving back to the Forman community and beyond through service.
“Our student-athletes are very important stakeholders, and they deserve as much a voice as anyone when it comes to the Forman Athletic program,” says John Strawson, Director of Athletics. “If we are building the leaders of tomorrow, then they deserve to start today. In this community, everyone’s voice matters.”
The Forman Athletic Leadership Council, which
originated in 2017, aims to champion school spirit and pride, as well as constant and consistent communication between the Athletic Department and student-athletes. It provides students an opportunity to develop skills to serve as leaders on their teams, around campus, in the classrooms, and in future roles beyond Forman. By being a member of the council, students follow and exemplify the School’s core values of truth, respect, and kindness.
To become a member of the council, students receive a recommendation from a coach or faculty member. They must show commitment to their teams and the betterment of the school community, have a desire to improve themselves through athletics, demonstrate an interest in developing leadership qualities, have good academic standing and citizenship, and want to give back and empower others through athletics.
Debra Pardridge St. Jacques ’70 started at Forman School in her junior year after having attended Foxhollow School, previously a boarding school for girls in Lenox, MA, and Litchfield High School. Debra sought a school where she could find herself and learn without pressure, and she found that at Forman.
“I was very happy at Forman,” says Debra. “I loved the classes, I loved the people, and it was much more down to earth as an education.”
Debra’s family often traveled, so she boarded at school, allowing her to be close to home and visit on holidays. She especially liked her English classes and recalls how students in different grades got along well. She shares how Stacy Quinn ’69, although older than Debra, was always there for her, as were many teachers.
“Forman gave me a good stable two years to settle and learn and make friendships,” she says. “It seemed like the teachers really cared.”
“The Manns (former faculty members, Roy and JoAnn) were wonderful,” she adds. “Mr. Sparfeld, I just remember him being there and cheering you up and letting you
know that you were doing good. I also remember Mrs. Puel, my French teacher, and Mrs. Diem, my swimming coach. Gil Yule was great, too.”
In addition to swimming, Debra played tennis. She also was a member of a small band with her friends Mary Jo Mlynarski Hrubiec ’70 and Debbie Dumaine
’72.
“We played at a couple of dances, and we had three songs that we could do. That was a good memory. Even though it didn’t last long, it was fun.”
Debra remains in touch with Mary Jo and many other classmates thanks to Facebook and makes an effort to attend alumni events as often as she can.
“I loved the small classes because you all knew each other so well. You knew
people from all the classes,” she says. “It’s great to come to alumni events and see people I haven’t seen in a while.”
She says she is grateful for having the opportunity to attend Forman. Though only a student for two years, that time prepared her for life beyond high school.
“It gave me a good foundation that I needed before I went off because my mother passed when I was nine, and then my father passed in 1972 after my first year at New England College,” she says. “Once I got into college, I was mostly on my own, and Forman gave me a solid foundation.”
After graduating from Forman, Debra spent a year at a school in Switzerland called École d’Humanité, which her stepsisters had attended, before going on to New England College. At New England College, she participated in a program where she spent one month at a farm helping with chores like milking cows and loved every minute. That experience encouraged her to transfer to the University of New Hampshire (UNH) to study animal science.
She saw her first Australian Shepherd on a trip to Colorado when she was still a student at UNH and knew she needed to have one of her own. Soon after, she got her first Aussie puppy, Berkshires Beau Diddely.
“He was bringing in cows at six months old,” she says. “He was awesome.”
Debra quickly got interested in obedience training, as well as herding, breeding, and competing. Several years later, she started judging competitions across the country through the Australian Shepherd Club of America, which she continues.
“When I graduated [from UNH], I worked on a farm for the summer and then traveled to California and Colorado to meet Aussie people,” she says. “I bought a female, and that is where it all started.”
Though she did not become a veterinarian, she worked for many across the country, from Virginia to Michigan to Connecticut. She met her husband, Mark, while working at White Flower Farm in Litchfield. They now live in New York on their farm, called Spring Meadow, where they used to have sheep and currently have chickens and ducks and make maple syrup. Their daughter, Renée, who spent several years in Cameroon, Africa, with the Peace Corps, took after Debra’s passion for Australian Shepherds and now competes with her dog, Kindred.
“We’re both doing herding, agility, obedience, rally, and some conformation,” Debra says.
Debra enjoys returning to Litchfield to see the town where she grew up and visit Forman. She admires how the School has advanced throughout the years and how creative and unique the curriculum has become. She also notes how she wishes she could return as a student.
“I just want to go back. I want to
spend a month in school there and do all the neat things these students are doing,” she says. “The boat making, the art, the photography, the theater, you name it. I am so impressed.”
She adds, “They bring in these sports that are different and new and just give students a chance to find their strengths.”
To Debra, Forman — today and back in 1970 — is a school where students can discover themselves. She says, “Forman just allowed me to grow up … I wasn’t pushed there and was allowed to grow up and learn.”
“I loved the small classes because you all knew each other so well. You knew people from all the classes.”Australian Shepherds Vega, Finn, and Kindred on Debra’s farm overlooking the Adirondack Mountains.
Ryan Lowe ’14 knows firsthand the importance of a strong support system. As a child, Ryan’s parents were his biggest advocates through his journey with dyslexia. Ryan was born in California and grew up in Somers, NY, where he attended school. He says learning continued beyond the academic day; his teachers would send home lesson material for his mom to reteach him during the evening.
“It wasn’t tailored in a way that I grasped it or learned it,” Ryan says. “So my mom would teach it to me again in a multisensory approach.”
Ryan and his mom would sit at their dining room table, breaking down the material in a way he would learn. With this routine, Ryan moved forward in his classes, but his parents recognized he needed more support in the classroom to excel in high school.
“My parents knew that the potential was there,” he says. “They just needed to find the right support network.”
The Lowe family discovered what they were looking for at Forman School.
“My parents visited Forman before I did, and then they brought me,” Ryan says. “The second we got out of the
car, met with the tour guide, walked the campus, saw the facilities, we knew Forman would be the right place for me.”
Ryan started at Forman in ninth grade and had a smooth transition. He soon adjusted to living away from his family as he had the support of his dorm parents and classmates.
“My whole freshman to senior year experience was really great,” he says. “Overall, I had a really great experience at Forman.”
He says three teachers largely impacted his experience: Christin Bass, who was his Cognition and Learning Teacher; Chair of the Thinking and Writing Department Lily Chen, who was his English Teacher; and Kristy (Easter) Santiago, who was his ninth-grade Dorm Parent.
“English was not my favorite subject before Forman, but definitely at Forman, it became one of my favorite subjects. That was because of Ms. Chen,” he adds. “Just the way Ms. Chen taught and the one-on-one experience with her definitely changed my perspective.”
Ryan was active after classes playing soccer, basketball, and tennis and participating in the boatbuilding program.
“It was a great experience learning how to build a boat and seeing the whole process throughout the year from start to finish,” he notes.
His family did not stop showing their support once Ryan was at Forman, often visiting him, cheering him on during soccer games, and attending events. However, living away from home came with a caveat for Ryan, who grew up being a Cub Scout and Boy Scout: he could not attend his home troop’s meetings and events. Despite this challenge, Ryan set out to earn the rank of an Eagle Scout and took the initiative to become a Lone Scout in the
“If I stayed on the track I was on and didn’t go to Forman, I don’t think I would have been able to go to UConn or have the job I have today.”Ryan Lowe ’14 with Chair of the Thinking and Writing Department Lily Chen at his 2014 Commencement from Forman.
Connecticut River Council. As a senior, he completed his Eagle Scout project at the White Memorial Conservation Center, where he worked to restore an area along the Bantam River that was eroding from invasive species. “Students and faculty helped me with that project,” he adds. “My Eagle Scout ceremony was held at Forman.”
One activity that continues to stand out to Ryan was his involvement in the Forman School Rainforest Project.
“Going to Costa Rica and going to the rainforest to get spider silk and then bringing it back and testing the strength of that spider silk was a really interesting experience,” Ryan says. “I still talk about it today. The very fact that Forman has that [program] … I still can’t get over it.”
After Forman, Ryan studied digital media, design, and business analytics at the University of Connecticut (UConn). There, he describes his class sizes as polar opposite to Forman’s, at times having nearly 300 students. He advocated for himself and his learning difference in partnership with the Center for Students with Disabilities at UConn to request accommodations from professors, such as more time to complete exams, and implemented tools he learned at Forman.
“The assisted technology, such as text-to-speech and speech-to-text capabilities, definitely helped me,” he says. “In college, I also had the opportunity to use a Livescribe pen, which recorded lectures and captured what I wrote down.”
Through a program between UConn and Cigna, Ryan interned on a social listening team at the oncampus Cigna Innovation Lab as a junior and senior. His career with Cigna evolved after UConn, and he works as an Agile Product Owner Advisor at the global health service company today. In his role, Ryan is a product owner on a scrum
team responsible for Cigna ID cards, and he recently graduated from the company’s leadership development program.
“If I stayed on the track I was on and didn’t go to Forman, I don’t think I would have been able to go to UConn or have the job I have today,” he says.
Ryan credits his success throughout his academic and professional career to his support network and always being an advocate for himself.
He says, “If you set your mind to it, you will definitely be able to achieve it with those two tools.”
October is Learning Differences and Dyslexia Awareness Month. At Forman School, we proudly empower students with learning differences in October and every day. We value inclusion and provide abundant opportunities for our students to build identities that outshine their diagnoses. In honor of Learning Differences and Dyslexia Awareness Month, we highlight the following Forman faculty members who have learning differences just like our students.
Brittany Bloom, a Cognition and Learning Teacher, relates to having dyslexia though she has never been formally diagnosed.
“As a child, I struggled a lot learning how to read. I remember feeling behind my peers and spending hours trying to remember how to sound out words, pass spelling tests, or read as fluently as other kids my age,” Bloom says. “I could never understand why it was so hard for me and how other students did it so easily.”
Having struggled in school herself, she says she teaches her students ways to overcome their challenges.
“As a reading teacher, I am able to relate to my students and show them that they are not alone,” she says. “I teach students strategies for decoding or fluency that really help them because I am able to remember exactly what they are finding difficult.”
Bloom encourages students to share their learning differences with others.
“The more open you are about what you struggle with, the more people can help and support you so you can be successful,” she says.
Missi Boyer P’16, P’18, a Cognition and Learning Teacher and Director of Town Funding, has dyslexia and ADHD, inattentive presentation. Boyer says her own learning differences benefit her as a teacher at Forman in many ways.
“I can relate to [students’] strengths and challenges,” she says. “It takes me a very long time to read a book, but once I finish the book, I remember every detail. I have been through training to overcome my [learning difference] and in fact, I have used
some of the books and exercises that were used with me. Solving Language Difficulties was the book I had as a student and I have used it with my students because it is so challenging.”
Boyer encourages students not to let their learning differences prevent them from being successful.
“With dyslexia, we are the great problem solvers and thinkers of the world. Take advantage of that and think of careers where you have to do that regularly,” she says. “Learn strategies to help you overcome. It will take effort, but when you set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.”
Allie Maxwell, Assistant Head of School for Internal Affairs, has a visual processing disorder, which she says helps her connect with students and allows her to “be empathetic to their experiences.”
“I also think it normalizes that many different people have learning differences,” Maxwell says. “I think we are so lucky to have many faculty who have learning differences as it makes a huge difference for the student experience.”
She notes the importance for students to learn how they learn and find unique ways to overcome their struggles.
“I always talk to students about the importance of knowing themselves and working through any challenges. I talk a lot about finding creative solutions and figuring out what works for them and advocating for that,” she says.
Maxwell encourages students to believe in themselves and trust that they can be successful.
“It is important to remember that they can do anything if they put in the right systems for themselves,” she says. “I always believe in their ability to accomplish anything.”
Juliana Newman, a Mathematics Teacher, was identified as academically and emotionally gifted in elementary school and diagnosed in college with anxiety disorder and ADHD. Newman says her late diagnosis provided her with clarity.
“I spent 18 years of my life not understanding why I struggled with severe procrastination, executive functioning, perfectionism, paying attention, and not panicking on every attempt at an assignment,” she says. “Once I was diagnosed, I was finally able to understand why my brain worked the way it did, and I learned to advocate for help from my professors when I needed it.”
Newman finds that students appreciate learning about her experiences with having learning differences.
Dr. Catherine Stines, Dean of Faculty, was diagnosed with dyslexia as an adult. Dr. Stines says her learning difference experience affords her a unique perspective when collaborating with faculty, teaching students, and implementing innovative curriculums at Forman.
“I believe dyslexia is actually the answer to so many people who struggle with 21st-century learning skills. People with dyslexia naturally harness these skills,” she says. “While I didn’t necessarily thrive in the classroom early on, my learning difference has given me the intrinsic and powerful skills of communication, collaboration, and creativity.”
Stines says sharing her learning
“My first year of teaching, I mentioned I had an anxiety disorder to the class when we were discussing stress around homework, and I watched three students in my class visibly relax as I told them,” she says. “Afterward, they thanked me for being open about my anxiety disorder; knowing they were not alone made these students feel so much better. From then on, I have told my students every year.”
“...knowing they were not alone made these students feel so much better.”
—JULIANA NEWMAN
difference with students creates an opportunity for them to recognize their own potential beyond Forman.
“I think they hear what I’ve accomplished in receiving my doctorate or background other than education earlier in my career and they see that they have endless possibilities in the pursuit of their future,” she says. “Vulnerability in sharing your neurodiversity with others opens the door for learning without those barriers in place.”
Jessica Troy, a Heath, Wellness, and Leadership Teacher, has ADHD combined type, however, was not diagnosed until college. In light of her late diagnosis, Troy hopes to get others diagnosed earlier in life.
“I am very passionate about getting young women diagnosed,” she says. “I hope to be an amazing role model for all students with ADHD, but especially young women as we are a small percentage who actually get diagnosed.”
At Forman, Troy’s learning difference allows her to relate to students when they are struggling and identify ways to help them learn better.
“My ADHD mind allows for creativity and adaptability which I
find to be a huge gift to have in the classroom, especially with students with learning differences,” she says. “I am also able to understand the perspective of the student so I try to keep the kids engaged, and when they are open about getting distracted by external or internal forces, I am always there to tell them it is not a problem at all and we start over. I believe that the fact that I can empathize with my students as I was them once gives me the ability for patience and understanding.”
LUKE WARREN
Director of the Promethean Program Luke Warren has dyslexia, which allows him to understand how his students think and impacts his approach to teaching.
“Because I share many of the lived experiences folks with dyslexia encounter day-to-day, I can relate deeply with my students with
dyslexia,” he says. “My embodied understanding of dyslexia has also fundamentally shifted how I teach in an academic space. Because of my LD, I have cultivated a deep connection to the kinds of teaching styles and pedagogy that most effectively allow Forman students to succeed.”
Warren says he struggled in school until he started receiving support from a reading specialist, who changed his life.
“[She taught] me skills that allowed me to understand and work in unison with my LD,” he says. “Many of her teaching strategies employed hands-on learning, which is a staple of all my classes and teaching.”
Warren emphasizes the importance of hands-on learning and teaching as “it allows the subject, lesson, skill, etc. to come alive in a tangible and concrete way.”
He adds, “A huge part of hands-on learning involves breaking away from the abstractness of language or symbols on a flat, two-dimensional space in favor of tangible, three-dimensional embodied inquiry and understanding.”
“I hope to be an amazing role model for all students with ADHD, but especially young women as we are a small percentage who actually get diagnosed.”
—JESSICA TROYLuke Warren Jessica Troy
EVERETT KELSEY ’84 Actor, Writer, Director, and Producer
“One of the most important things I learned at Forman is truth is freedom, or as I like to say, to thine own self be true.”
Forman celebrated the achievements of 68 graduates during the 2022 Commencement ceremony under a tent on the Green on May 28. Everett Kelsey ’84, actor, writer, director, and producer, delivered the Commencement Address, and Head of School Adam K. Man P’15 presented introductory and closing remarks. 1 Laura Milde ’22 and siblings 2 Jack Seeds ’22 and family 3 Austin and Landon Phipps ’22 with their mother 4 Mimi Katz ’22, salutatorian, smiles with Head of School Adam K. Man P’15 after receiving her diploma. 5 Lorenzo Bacetti ’22 6 Chad Tranter ’22 and family
The John N. Forman Award Henry White ’22 (10)
The Julie Ripley Forman Award Stephania Bendek ’22 (16)
The Richard G. Peirce Award Ander Hernandez ’22 (1)
The Jay W. Gilmore ’61 Award Doug Baker ’22 (4)
The Seniors’ Choice Award Theo Seremetis ’23 (17)
The Avis Halsey Award Jonathan Bush ’25 (12) Mariée Voss ’24 (14)
The Peirce Merit Scholarship Award
Elliot Clark ’25 (7) Mariée Voss ’24 (14) Jeanine Blakeman ’23 (11)
The Head of School Award Ben Wildstein ’22 (2)
The John Rogers Reinicke ’86 Award Tristan Hoyt ’22 (18)
The E.D. Hale Award Elisa Vittori ’22 (5)
The World Languages Award Olivia Maguire ’22 (15)
The Arts Award
Visual: Emma Rodrigues ’22 (8) Music: Doug Baker ’22 (4) Theater: Stephania Bendek ’22 (16)
The Petrek-Halloran Science Award Ben Wildstein ’22 (2)
The History and Social Sciences Award Tristan Hoyt ’22 (18)
The Anne R. Talcott Book Award
Gwyneth Williams ’23 (9)
The Mark B. Perkins Mathematics Award Elizabeth Mazzarelli ’22 (6)
The English Award Chad Tranter ’22 (3)
The Athletic Award Henry White ’22 (10) Lauren Russell ’22 (13)
The John N. Forman Award for Excellence in Education Tammy A. Grella Dr. Catherine A. Stines
Adelphi University
The University of Alabama
Allegheny College
American University
Appalachian State University
Arizona State University-Tempe University of Arizona Bard College Berlin
Barry University
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CUNY Brooklyn College Bryant University Butler University California College of the Arts Centenary University
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Champlain College Chapman University College of Charleston Chestnut Hill College
Clarkson University University of Colorado Boulder University of Colorado Denver Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Columbia College Chicago Connecticut College University of Connecticut Curry College University of Dayton Dean College
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Dickinson College Drew University
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CUNY Hunter College
Indiana University-Bloomington
University of Iowa
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CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Johnson & Wales University
Keene State College
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University of Maine at Farmington
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University of Redlands Regis College
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University of Rhode Island
Rhodes College
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Sacred Heart University
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University of Saint Joseph
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Trinity College
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University of Lynchburg University of Utah University of Vermont
Washington College
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Western Connecticut State University
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Westfield State University
Westminster College
Wheaton College
Whitman College
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The College of Wooster
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Spirits were high as many alumni came home to Forman after a long pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The celebrations kicked off on Friday, May 6, with a golf scramble and cocktail reception at the Head of School’s House. Later that evening, the Golden Lions, including the classes of 1972, 1971, and 1970, celebrated their 50th reunion with a dinner in the Visual and Performing Arts Center.
On Saturday, alumni toured the campus, watched Science Teacher Wendy Welshans P’24 demonstrate steam wood bending, attended an art exhibition featuring unique, colorful collages made by Emory Cooper ’09, and cheered on students and alumni during lacrosse and softball games. On Saturday evening, Lindsey E. Watkins ’11 and Lawrence S. Culleton ’65 were inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Litchfield Inn. Culleton shared at the ceremony, “While I was [at Forman], athletics helped me develop a sense of myself and to feel like I was a valuable part of something bigger than myself.”
The weekend concluded on Sunday with a memorial gathering honoring alumni, faculty, staff, and trustees who passed away over the past three years.
1 Director of the Annual Fund Sean Maguire ’89, P’22, P’23, Debra Pardridge St. Jacques ’70, Director of Stewardship and Planned Giving Duncan Marshall ’67, and Bob Zimmerli ’70
2 Oliver La Du ’20 and Dylan Thambirasa ’17
3 Henry Harris ’86, P’24 and Terrie Harris P’24
4 Fia Goldfine ’05, Alyson Vitiello Rebibo ’05, Major Gifts Officer Scott McCarty ’76, P’02, P’05, and Shayna Haust ’06 5 Emory Cooper ’09 6 Alumni and current members of Forman’s lacrosse team
’16,
Parents visited the campus on April 29-30 for a two-day workshop. They attended parent education sessions, where they learned about the college process and gained insight into the Forman student experience, enjoyed a reception at the Head of School’s House, and cheered on students during athletic games.
In July, seven alumni served as 2022 Forman Summer Program Counselors. They lived on campus, participated in activities, and supported students in the program.
Lark Aresty ’21 knows firsthand how impactful the Forman Summer Program can be for a student, as she attended the program the summer prior to her junior year.
“It was life-changing,” Lark says. “I finally felt like I was in an environment where I could become my best self. I really wanted to come back [as a counselor] and change kids’ lives the way mine was changed.”
Lark is majoring in social work with a minor in education at Skidmore
College. She says she gained an important skill at Forman that prepared her for life after high school. She says, “I learned how to advocate for myself!”
Enzo Conti ’21 was excited to become a counselor because he “loves the atmosphere of the Forman community.”
Enzo adds that over the program’s four weeks, he was “looking forward to gaining more experience in leadership positions.”
He is a student at Syracuse University studying data analytics and says his time at Forman provided him with the tools to succeed. “It helped me build strategies and habits to overcome hardships I would face in college,” Enzo says.
Will Cox ’21 attended the Summer Program as a student virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic and looked forward to sharing his experience.
“I became a Forman Summer Program Counselor to inspire kids who struggle with similar learning
“I finally felt like I was in an environment where I could become my best self.”
—LARK
differences to myself and share with them the benefits of a Forman summer education,” says Will.
He adds, “I hope I can inspire the kids at the Summer Program to take a leap into a Forman education.”
Will is currently earning a degree in theater and acting at Salve Regina University. He says Forman helped prepare him for his future.
“Forman prepared me for college by teaching me how I best understand and learn. Knowing how my brain works and what strategies I need to apply in college has helped me maintain a 3.2 GPA in my first year of college,” he says. “Forman also taught me that I love to perform and act, so going into a major that I feel is best suited for me was important.”
Schuy Jasienowski ’21 joined the program as a counselor because he “enjoyed the comfort of Forman and wanted to share my passion for the School with the kids.”
Ahead of the program, Schuy looked forward to the opportunity to “[set] an example for the children.”
Schuy is a sophomore at Skidmore College, where he plans to study studio art or graphic design.
Forrest Smyth ’20 returned for his second year as a Forman Summer Program Counselor.
“I was really excited to come back to campus and to be a counselor because of my positive experiences last summer and the impact that I saw I had on the campers,” Forrest says.
He was not only a counselor but also a teacher intern. One block each morning, he interned in a writing class with Thinking and Writing Teacher Ryan Yursha.
“I [got] to see both sides of the summer program,” Forrest says.
—CELIA TUCKER ’20Forrest is studying American studies and special education at Salve Regina University, and says, “Forman made me more prepared for professional and college life by improving my communication skills.”
Celia Tucker ’20, who also served her second year as a Forman Summer Program Counselor, was excited by the opportunity to return.
“Getting to know the kids and watch their growth was so rewarding, having been in their position before,” Celia says.
In addition to being a counselor, Celia was a teacher intern in an executive functioning class with Cognition & Learning Teacher Sara Reilly.
“I was able to see the students’ progression in the afternoons last summer, so I was very excited to get the opportunity to work with them in the mornings and be more a part of their Forman experience, as I had such a good experience here myself,” she says.
Celia attends the New York University Gallatin School of Individualized Study and studies English journalism, marketing, and media, with specificity in pre and postcolonial literature.
She says Forman provided her resources for success.
“The tools and skills that I find myself using most frequently are breaking apart and timing my assignments into smaller parts and a few different notetaking strategies that I developed in my Cognition and Learning classes at Forman,” says Celia.
Em Woolley ’20 was interested in the role because she “loved the idea of helping others in the Forman community.” Before starting her position, she looked forward to “gaining skills on how to best support students and fellow coworkers.”
Em is a student at BirminghamSouthern College, where she is double majoring in biology and music. She says Forman helped prepare her for her college experience.
“I learned how to maintain a good schedule with my academics and how to manage my test anxiety,” says Em.
The Forman School Summer Program Teacher Internship is open to Forman alumni who have completed at least two years of college. College students who are studying education are preferred but not required. Interns will gain experience in lesson planning, classroom management, and teaching alongside mentor teachers. Weekly professional development is provided. Interns also serve as summer counselors and receive an additional stipend. Summer counselors live on campus in dorms and assist with afternoon and weekend activities.
For more information, contact Brittany Bloom, Cognition and Learning Teacher and Forman Summer Program Dean of Academics, at brittany.bloom@formanschool.org.
“Getting to know the kids and watch their growth is so rewarding, having been in their position before.”
S. Sherman Clark Jr.
54
Michael N. Cohen 60
Edward T. Marks senecaFLX@gmail.com 63
Alfred C. Body Jr. skibumal43@gmail.com 64
Eric D. Murray rickydmu@gmail.com
66
Bartow S. Curtis Jr. bart_curtis65@yahoo.com
Debora Gould Petersen
Joel Balgley recently enjoyed a nice lunch in Saint Petersburg, FL, with Head of School Adam K. Man P’15 and Associate Head of School Mike Kowalchick. Joel shared great stories of his travels around the world.
Duncan L. Marshall Jr. dlmarshall@optonline.net 68
Nancy Walton Marikar 69
Davis A. Dewey davisdeweysr@gmail.com
Scott M. Sutherland jms208@aol.com 70
Susan Spadone Holmes
65
Sara L. Fliess sally@amsystemsllc.net
Jeffrey T. Whipple jtwhip55@gmail.com
Bill Mallory and Ann Pemberton Mallory ’67 share, “We are loving our life in Maine and most grateful that our adult children and grandchildren also live in this truly beautiful state! Who could ask for anything more?”
Debora Gould Petersen lives in St. Pete Beach, FL. Debora’s husband, Lito, known as her “Piano Man,” passed away in May of 2021. She says he was talented, humorous, and kind. Lito’s photo resides in the lobby of the historical Don CeSar Beach Hotel, where he played for 26 years. Debora was graced with listening to him play every night. She was his “roadie” and holds 20 precious memories close to her heart. She shares thanks to her family, Lito’s family, her dear friends, and the Forman community for all the comments of love and support.
Bob Zimmerli ’70, Director of the Annual Fund Sean Maguire ’89, P’22, P’23, and Major Gifts Officer Scott McCarty ’76, P’02, P’05 at the Hartford Yard Goats Alumni Event on July 31.
Bob Zimmerli and his wife, Patti, are excited to share that their daughter will be getting married this fall! Bob is enjoying working with his son at his company, Plastonics Inc. Bob also joined us at the Hartford Yard Goats Alumni Event.
Craig J. Hanson craigjhanson007@gmail.com
Andrew Krens Jr. drew_krens@yahoo.com 72
Peter J. Jackowitz peter.j.jackowitz@gmail.com 73
Joan G. Bielizna joanrealtor@snet.net
Hilary L. Taylor hilzo@aol.com
Hilary Taylor is keeping busy with her jewelry-making business, Merlin’s Silver Star, in Concord, MA.
Paula Nichols-Dille
Diana Curtis Price dcprice2000@aol.com
Matthew L. LaFlamme matt_laflamme@msn.com
Kendra R. Van Pelt sassyk105@gmail.com
Andrew Y. Covert andrewycovert@gmail.com
In June, Elinor “Ello” Tucker took a trip from Florida to Massachusetts to deliver one of her horses, Halo, to his new adoptive home. On the drive home, Ello made a few stops to see her Forman friends. She says, “We enjoyed a yummy lunch with Chuck Lohrs ’82. Then we visited Roger Grier ’81 and his wife, Nancy, at their beautiful home in Killingworth, CT. We went out for dinner at our favorite place to eat
seafood called The Place Restaurant in Guilford, CT. Last but certainly not least, we stopped in Wilmington, NC, to visit with Tenney Graham ’80. She took us to a friend’s place on the water, and we had a much-needed relaxing day followed by a wonderful dinner of local seafood. I love that I can travel almost anywhere and see my Forman friends. Besides getting a great education from Forman, I really made the best friends of my life there, and I’m grateful for that!”
Peter M. Ahlfeld pahlfeld@vermontacademy.com
Scott A. Brady scott.brady@formanschool.org
Christopher D. Gaynor cdgaynor@gmail.com
Nancy Robinson Swift nancysunnyswift@yahoo.com
Jennie Alexandre Bono
William L. Freeman freeman.will@gmail.com
Lisa Richardson Palmer larfal@aol.com 87
Holly Jones Weisenburger holly@theweisenburgers.com
Michael Goldberg lives in western Massachusetts and is enjoying his long career in law enforcement.
Gordon Glenner enjoyed catching up with fellow alumni at our event at Gallaghers Steakhouse in New York City. Gordon is looking forward to visiting campus soon!
Sean P. Maguire sean.maguire@formanschool.org
Curt F. Pfannenstiehl curtpfann@gmail.com
W. David Thorn Jr. dthorn30@yahoo.com
Jennifer Winkler Balzi jenrwink@gmail.com
Karine Opdyke Lawrence karinelawrence@yahoo.com
Michael Kernan is enjoying life in southern New Hampshire and had a great time coming back for Alumni Weekend! Michael was amazed at how much the campus had changed and how wonderful it looked.
Josh Stine and his wife, Jeanette, enjoy splitting their time between their New York City apartment and Rhode Island home. As CEO, Josh continues to build The Houndry petcare platform, comprised of several pet hotel facilities and dog walking businesses.
Josh had a great time catching up with fellow alumni at our event at Gallaghers Steakhouse in New York City.
Amy Owen Stettner aostett@hotmail.com
Rob P. Tarantino robptarantino@gmail.com
Jenny Virgopia jennyvirgopia@aol.com
Heidi Mayfield continues to enjoy her work as a set decorator. Her work includes popular series like The Avengers, Entourage, Felicity, Ally McBeal, and many more.
Dara Cerritelli Varano and her husband, James, own Black-Eyed Sally’s Southern Kitchen & Bar in Hartford, CT. There, Dara hosted one of our alumni events, a dinner for our 2022 seniors, and received a visit from Forman Summer Program students.
Brian A. Eisenberg brianadam11@comcast.net
Sara Jackson Mayhew P’25 is excited to welcome the next generation to Forman! Her son, Jack, is a new student this fall. Sara had a great time back on campus during Alumni Weekend.
Christina E. Bodine-Aysseh christinaBodine@msn.com
Allison Herron Gsell allison_herron@hotmail.com
Elizabeth G. Thomas lizgthomas@yahoo.com
Marikay Geib marikaygeib212@msn.com
Lauren Cuticelli Patton lauren@cuticelli.com
Tyler Renn tylerrenn@rennwealth.com
Blake Miller is thriving in his lacrosse coaching position at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He toured Director of the Annual Fund Sean Maguire ’89, P’22, P’23 and Major Gifts Officer Scott McCarty ’76, P’02, P’05 around the impressive campus.
Kenneth I. Deane kenneth.deane@gmail.com
Kimberly B. Ertag
Gilah E. Gersten gilahg@gmail.com
Amy E. Love alove0410@comcast.net
Kim Ertag recently moved to Florida, where she is closer to family.
Meredith McClean Fontaine mmfontaine12@gmail.com
Christopher D. Kellogg christopher.kellogg@icloud.com
Brooke Labriola Shepard brooke@monogrammary.com
After leaving her teaching position at Forman in 2009, Carolyn Blair moved to Los Angeles, CA. She just celebrated her six-year anniversary at Talent Systems, a leading software company for casting, where she works as a client success manager. Carolyn currently lives in West Hollywood with her two cats, Cosmo and Ophelia.
Brian Semler ’95 bumped into Scott McCarty ’76, P’02, P’05 in Lake Placid, NY, and they caught up over coffee.
Abbie Graham Durkin abbiedurkin@gmail.com
Elizabeth Hanway Johnson ehjohnson100@gmail.com
Jessica Davis Raitz jessica.raitz@gmail.com
Jesse J. E. Resnick jesse.res@gmail.com 01
Matthew A. Bonzagni mattbonzagni232@charter.net
Leith T. Sharp leithal29@gmail.com
Leith Sharp had a great time at our alumni event at the Hartford Yard Goats baseball game. 02
Mark M. Roscio gradywhaler@gmail.com
20th reunion
Chelsea E. Kinsella squidmail@aol.com
Elizabeth A. Monroe
Kevin T. Smallwood smallwkt@gmail.com 04
Kathryn John Blume john.katie@gmail.com
Laura J. Goodkind ljgoodkind@msn.com
James J. Hamilton jhamilton8492@yahoo.com
Pearse P. Matthews pearse.matthews@gmail.com
Cyril P. Thornton thorntcp@gmail.com
Danny McCarty and his wife, Amber, welcomed their son, Tanner John, in August.
Hannah Dodd Morton hmorton1008@gmail.com
Justin W. DeCausey Candice R. Earlington wacky_candy@hotmail.com
Kelly Solk ksolk90@gmail.com
Tanner John, son of Danny McCarty ’05 and his wife, Amber
Luke R. Bornheimer lukebornheimer@gmail.com
Ian C. Hayward
Michael Gluck, Board of Trustees Secretary, married Melissa Chattman on September 1. 07
Parker W. S. Beard pwsb87@sbcglobal.net
Shannon W. Hallenbeck shannon.hallenbeck@gmail.com
Audrey Stout Micca micca.audrey@gmail.com
Kenneth P. Reid
Isaac Sherbin ’09 (right) and Major Gifts Officer Scott McCarty ’76, P’02, P’05 ran into each other in Baltimore, MD. Isaac was visiting the area from northern California.
Cameron S. Billik csbillik@gmail.com
Gretchen G. Conyers gretchc23@gmail.com
Dayne J. Price dayneprice@gmail.com
Rachel C. Hafer rcatharinee@gmail.com
Nicholas V. Manzella nv.manzella@gmail.com
Rachel Hafer has taken a new job as an Instructional Designer associate at Arizona State University.
James C. Clancy
Lauren A. Morrow lauren.morrow1993@gmail.com
Shelby L. Pierce shelby.pierce93@gmail.com
David R. Buckley davidb21@gmail.com
Francis R. Fiore fffiore27@gmail.com
Katrina Swift is a co-founder of KWS Blank Canvas Music, an independent bespoke music publishing and record label company, and is a singer and songwriter.
Natalie R. Canterbury nataliecanterbury386@yahoo.com
Grant A. Oslan grant.oslan@comcast.net
Logan C. Rice logan.Rice96@Yahoo.com
Jacob H. Sussman jacob.sussman33@gmail.com
Coleman C. Walker cole.walker1995@gmail.com
Sarah E. Auch sarahauch@aol.com
Emily C. Cross emilycross9@gmail.com
David N. Shaw davidshaw1213@gmail.com
Dominic L. Weir domweir@gmail.com
Davis W. Ebbert davisebbert@outlook.com
Allison C. Herdje aherdje@gmail.com
Lacey O. McCaw lmccaw03@gmail.com
Sam
Sam Man ’15 got engaged to Sierra Tillmann in Rome, Italy, over the summer.
Tommy Gramando is finishing up at Lynn University, where he started on their hockey team. Tommy enjoys his role as Head Boys’ Lacrosse Coach at West Boca High School.
Leni Palazesi joined World Languages and Promethean Program Teacher Jeoffrey Langill and the Forman Sports Analytics Winterim when they traveled to Boston, MA, to attend a Celtics game.
Parker D. Broadnax parkerbroadnax@gmail.com
Mee Mee B. Filan filanmeemee@gmail.com
Emma M. Forrester forresterem@clarkson.edu
Quinn Outerbridge is currently playing soccer for Hamilton Parish Soccer Club in Bermuda.
Dylan Thambirasa moved back to Norway this summer and started a job as a consultant at Thorn Norge.
Annabelle Ford-Rippolone afordrip@highpoint.edu
Sophia H. Gadsden sophiahgadsden@gmail.com
Samantha J. Novick snovick@highpoint.edu
Brendan A. Wilson brendan.wilson.A@gmail.com
Lilly Berretta spent last summer in Seoul, South Korea, studying at Yonsei University, and graduated last spring from Loyola University Maryland with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and a minor in writing. During her senior year, she served as President of the Operation Smile chapter at Loyola and interned at Baltimore Witness.
John Cheney has transferred to Lynn University and was excited to reconnect with Baird Atwood ’19 and other Forman alum in the area!
Andre Mitrano graduated from Quinnipiac University last spring. He enjoys sailing and was part of a team who competed in the Annapolis to Bermuda Race on a boat named “Bare Bones.”
Courtney Schullery started a new position at Rivier University as Assistant to the
19Jackson G. Beers
Garret N. Grier garret.grier@gmail.com
Caitlin C. Lorenz caitlincathrynLorenz@gmail.com
Odessa M. Slauson odessa1221@gmail.com
Baird Atwood is doing well at Lynn University and working towards his aspirations of yacht brokerage.
Danny Vasile was Director of Operations for the NCAA Division I UMass Men’s Lacrosse Team.
20Olivia S. Minor osquiersminor@gmail.com
Benjamin C. Reilly reillyb@umich.edu
Celia L. Tucker cltucker09@gmail.com
Leanna T. Caracappa leanna.caracappa@gmail.com
Helen G. Cirimele grace.cirimele@gmail.com
Florence L. Colantino colantino425@flagler.edu
Luke Withstandley is doing great rowing at UConn and enjoying the rigors and routine of college life.
Stephania N. Bendek stephaniab1111@icloud.com
Henry W. White hankwhite1515@gmail.com
Molly Reinhardt shared the exciting news that she graduated from AMDA College of the Performing Arts, where she studied musical theater. Since graduating, Molly has been auditioning and preparing to film a documentary.
Sam Seo shares that he served as an intern at a tech startup in New York City over the summer and is excited for his senior year at CalBerkeley. Sam says he is grateful and thankful to Forman!
Do you have contact with many of your classmates from Forman? Do you enjoy reaching out to your friends to find out what’s new? If so, you may be an ideal Class Agent for Forman! Class Agents are needed for the following classes:
1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1988, 1998
Please contact Heather Ford in the Alumni Office at heather.ford@formanschool.org.
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Erika Della Calce, formerly Erika Prince, and Anthony Della Calce were married on June 26, 2022, at StoneHurst at Hampton Valley in Hampton, CT.
Mackey Corrigan, formerly Mackey Hemphill, and Kellen Corrigan were married on August 13, 2022, at Williams Inn Williamstown, MA.
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Lucinda Weil Bunnen ’48 was born on January 14, 1930, in Katonah, NY.
Lucinda lived a remarkable life and died on March 27, in Atlanta, GA, surrounded by her devoted family, friends, and caregivers. She is survived by her three children: son, Robert L. Bunnen, Jr., and his three children, Lizzie Bunnen Pack (Cam), Alison Bunnen Pence (Cem), and Philip Weil Bunnen; daughter, Belinda Bunnen Reusch (Ken), and their three children, Kendrick Nelson Reusch, Jr. (d.2013), Melanie Reusch Thompson (Ben); and Sarah Lucinda Reusch; and daughter, Melissa Bunnen Jernigan (James) and their children, Jack Louis Jernigan and Lindy Bunnen Jernigan; and a great-granddaughter, Lucinda “Lulu” Thompson. Lucinda was married for 60 years to Dr. Robert L. Bunnen (d.2012).
A gifted athlete, Lucinda attended Centenary Junior College in New Jersey and then studied in Switzerland, where she participated with the USA Olympic team downhill and giant slalom trials.
Starting in 1956, Lucinda immersed herself in Atlanta’s newly burgeoning art, tennis, and steeplechase worlds. In 1970, for her 40th birthday, Lucinda made a silent home movie of a family trip to Peru, which launched her career as a fine art photographer. In the 70s and 80s, she donated nearly 1,000 photographs to the High Museum of Atlanta. Lucinda published eight awardwinning books of her photographic works. Her photographs can be found in the collections of many museums and galleries, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Pushkin
Museum, and the Smithsonian Museum’s National Portrait Gallery.
Julie Koehler Coopersmith ’67 passed away on May 28. She is survived by her beloved husband, Dr. Bruce Coopersmith, and her adoring brother, Karl Koehler. Julie loved theater and studied acting in New York City. She spent many years in devoted service to animal care and rescue, and her work was featured in Cat Fancy magazine. She was also a highly talented interior decorator. Julie was deeply dedicated to the principles of the Chabad movement and was truly a “Woman of Valor” with a wonderful heart.
Mary Dey Holt ’50 of Lee, MA, passed away peacefully at her home on July 20, surrounded by her family. Mary was born in New Jersey on September 24, 1931, to the late Raymond and Rose Davidson Dey. She graduated in 1950 from Forman School, where she met her beloved husband, Henry, and later served as a faculty member. She and Henry were married on February 21, 1951. Mary took pride in keeping a beautiful home and dedicated herself to raising her two children.
Mary was a communicant of The First Congregational Church in Lee. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Huguenot Society of NJ, and the Lenox Garden Club. Mary was a board member and an active volunteer counselor for Turning Point, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in
Verona, NJ. She helped many people during her years at Turning Point and was bestowed with the Nina Janssen Award from the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 1994.
Mary is survived by her husband, Henry; sister, Carol Baumann; daughter, Carolyn Miksch (Gary); son, Derrick B. Holt (Victoria); grandchildren, Danielle, Brandon, Andrew, Sara, and Charlie; and greatgrandchildren, Evan, Emma, Evie, and Charlotte.
Elizabeth Aulson Willette ’82 of Lynn, MA, passed away peacefully at the age of 57 on July 2 at Beverly Hospital. Liz was comforted by her beloved longtime companion, Bruce Morrison; good friend, Dave Stillwell; her father, Michael Francis Aulson, and his wife, Mary. Liz is also survived by her daughter, Calleigh Hunter; her mother, Patricia J. Aulson; her brother, David Aulson; and numerous descendants of her late grandparents, Philip G. and Rose M. Aulson.
Liz attended Shore Country Day School in Beverly with her brothers, Michael and David Aulson. She also attended Landmark Beverly and Forman School. Caring for dogs and cats was always a passion for Liz. In addition to her own pets, she often assisted neighbors and friends with theirs, and she aided animal rescue services. Kiki was her cherished pet cat.
Mack Martin ’16 passed away on August 2 from a seizure. He was born on December 5, 1997, in Stamford, CT, and raised in New Canaan, CT.
He later moved to Sun Valley, ID, to be with family.
Mack was one-of-a-kind from the start. His unedited spirit, intelligence, and ability to empathize with others put him in a league of his own. He was described as being able to learn under a rock because he absorbed and retained every bit of self-taught knowledge he craved. He had a passion for the Red Sox and Camp Dudley and vast knowledge and interest in history, politics, and geography. There were wonderful coaches, counselors, friends, and teachers who thoughtfully inspired him and appreciated his uniqueness.
The courage and commitment he gave during his short life were beyond compare. He never had it easy, but with endless love from family, Mack continuously fought for his health and well-being. His last words were, “I love you and promise to make you proud.”
Mack leaves behind his parents, Andrea and Scott; sisters, Lily and Lucy; grandparents, Donald and Missy Gove; as well as many loving friends, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Zachary J. Pace ’05 of Needham, MA, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on May 19. Zachary was born on April 25, 1986, a son of Ann E. Simeone Pace and the late Alfred P. Pace Jr. He was an avid athlete of ice hockey, baseball, soccer, and golf. He continued his athletics in middle school at the Cardigan Mountain School. He attended Forman School, where his passion for filmmaking and music flourished. He received multiple recognitions for his short
films, including an award for the Young Filmmakers in Torrington. He was also the goalie and captain of the varsity soccer team and played baseball and ice hockey.
Zachary furthered his education and athletics at Curry College and was a proud member of the Curry College Rugby team. Following his college graduation, he joined the family business, Pace Management Inc. and Pace Builders. He continued his passion for filmmaking and music by producing music videos and songs for artists in the Boston area.
Later in life, Zachary fought an ongoing battle with mental illness, but with the efforts of his family and doctors, he was able to live a simple life at home surrounded by the ones who loved him most.
Zachary is survived by his loving mother, Ann, and siblings, Mary, Lichele (Stanley), Alfred III, Isabella, Stella Rose, and Rocco. He is the proud uncle of his nephew, Stanley “Kite” Ward III. He is the nephew of Susan Pace-McComb and her husband, Tom; Cheryl Pace; Fran Simeone; Lisa and Bobby Ewanouwski; and Michele and Cliff Abrecht. He is also survived by many loving cousins.
Benjamin B. Wills, III, ’21, passed away peacefully from natural causes on April 11, at the age of 19. Ben is the son of Stacey and Timothy Wills, Trustee, ’85, P’21 and a loving brother to Maggie. He is survived by grandmothers, Sharon Spitzer and Joanne Wills, and dear family members, Trey, Christina, Sophia, and Sydney Wills; Eric, Irina, Darren, and
Branden Spitzer, Jessica Wills, Erik, Denver, and Jackson Leach, and great aunt, Kathleen Wills, widow of his namesake. Ben was predeceased by his grandfathers, Burton Spitzer and P. Reed Wills II.
Raised in Bethesda, MD, Ben attended Abingdon Montessori School, McLean School, Forman School, and the College of Charleston, where he was a Pi Kappa Phi. During the summers, Ben was a multi-year camper and then dedicated counselor at his beloved Camp Wachusett in Vermont. His connection to these communities and his experiences in team sports were catalysts for his natural leadership and compassion. He was fiercely loyal with an unending capacity to spread love and support others.
Ben was deeply passionate and enthusiastic about sports and was recognized for his abilities on the playing field, ice, or hardwood as much as he was lauded for his sportsmanship. He stood tall and shoulder to shoulder with his family, friends, and teammates whom he would support and fiercely defend. He played varsity football, ice hockey, lacrosse, and junior varsity basketball. He was also active in drama, improv, and culinary arts. He loved Washington sports teams and was known for his exuberant fanaticism, whether in the stands or watching from home surrounded by family and friends. His passion for music ran almost as deep as his love of sports, and Ben was always eager to share a playlist.
He had a larger-than-life personality. His infectious smile, gentle heart, and engaging sense of humor attracted people to him.
Ben took pride in being a leader and a community builder and relished bringing people together. From a young age, Ben had an uncanny ability to connect with people. He sensed when others were hurting and always offered a helping hand and an encouraging word. He believed his superpower was giving hugs.
Ben was generous with his love and his time and championed causes for which he was passionate. Being part of a community was important to him. He looked up to his parents and their cousins and friends. He never looked down on anyone. In this spirit, The Benjamin Bowling Wills, III Charitable Foundation has been established to benefit causes he held dear.
DeWayne Stallings, 70, of Park Rapids, MN, passed away at his home in Barnstable, MA, after a brief battle with cancer on July 8. DeWayne is predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen; his daughter, Rebekah Kenny, and her husband, Michael Kenny; and his two beloved granddaughters, Genevieve and Vivienne Kenny.
DeWayne was born in Pekin, IL, to Merle and Genevieve (Barresi) Stallings. He married Kathleen (Williams) Stallings in 1975 at the University of Minnesota, Morris, where they both attended. He later received his Master’s Degree in Art Education from Rhode Island School of Design, an accomplishment of which he was always proud. Over his 33 years of teaching art and composition, he held positions at
Forman School, Fay School, Sturgis Charter School, and, most recently, Cape Cod Academy. His works were displayed at numerous galleries throughout New England.
Dr. E. Michael Ellovich, 90, of Bloomfield, CT, passed away on April 1, surrounded by his family.
Mike was born on March 9, 1932, in Hartford, CT, to the late Myer (Lux) and Rose (White) Ellovich. He was the beloved husband for over 65 years to Lois (Perlysky) Ellovich. Mike attended The Loomis School, Dartmouth College, and the former Hillyar College (University of Hartford), where he received his M.Ed. Additionally, Mike spent three years in the United States Marine Corps, the last of which was spent playing for the All-Marine Division basketball team in Japan. Later in life, he obtained his Doctorate in Psychology (Psy.D). Mike started his career as a psychologist at The Institute of Living and went on to hold years-long school psychologist positions at the Rectory School, Forman School, Oxford Academy, and the Marvelwood School. He maintained a private practice through an office originally in his home and later in Bloomfield. When introduced to anyone as Dr. Ellovich, he always corrected them and said, “call me Mike.” Mike is survived by his wife, Lois; his children, David (Lisa) Ellovich and Karen (Gordon) Binkhorst; and grandchildren, Jenna Binkhorst (Laurent Officer); Sara Binkhorst (Elena Bowman); Joshua and Melanie Binkhorst; and Benjamin and Zachary Ellovich.
Forman School, 12 Norfolk Road, P.O. Box 80 Litchfield, CT 06759-0080
Change Service Requested